Car and freight transfer apparatus



(No Model.)

' 2Sheets-Shet 1. R. H. RAMSEY. I

CAR AND PREIGHT'TRANSFBR APPARATUS. No. 304,562.

WITNESSES:

Patentdd Sept. 2; 1884.

(No Model.) 2 Shets-8heet 2.

V R. H. RAMSEY. CAR AND FREIGHT TRANSFER APPARATUS.

No. 4,562. Patented Sept. 2, 1884.

EEEEEEEE S' UNITED STATES ATENT' rica.

ROBERT H. RAMSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR'AND FRElGHT TRANSFER APPARATUS.

'DPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,562, datedSeptember 2, 1884.

Application filed February 13, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. RAMSEY, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ApparatusforTransferring (Jars, Freight, &c., which improvement is fully set forthin the following specification and accompanying drawings, in whichFigures 1, 3, and 4 are side elevations of apparatus for transferringcars, freight, &c., embodying myi11vent-ion,the cars being shownindifferent positions. Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a topor plan view.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the apparatus when the car is in the position Ishown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an end View of a modification on a reducedscale. I I

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

My invention consists of a method of and means for transferring cars torails of either broad or narrow gage railroads, or furnishing car-bodieswith different trucks-for 'suchrailroads,by the employment of rails ofdifferent levels or steps with vertically-movable supports for thecar-body, and trucks between said steps, so that the cars may descendfrom one step to the other and store or furnish power to restore thesupports to their normal position.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a vertically-moving table, 'onwhich are laid rails a b for broad and narrow gage railroads, said tablebeingrmounted 011 pistons 13 of hydraulic cylinders G, which latter aresustained in a pit between rails D D,whi,ch,arranged atdifferent'levels, are adapted for broad and narrow gage railroads, andproperly laid on a road-bed, it being seen that when the table is in itshighest position its rails are cont-inuous of the rails D, and when inthe lowest position its rails are continuous of the rails D. Erepresents vc rticallymoving beams which are arranged parallel with thesides of the tablc A, and mounted on the pistons F of hydrauliccylinders G, which are sustained in the pit in which the cylinders Care'contained.

lonnected with the cylinders (,l G are pipes accumulator, J, which issustained in the aforementioned pit-,or adjacent thereto.v The stem ofthe piston of said accumulator projects through the upper head thereof,and hasv placed on itaweight, K. v

On the table A, at the center thereof. is mounted a turn-table, L, whichis provided with rails c d,of broad and narrow gage,which may be placedin communication with the rails a b, or rails a I), mounted on theroadbed at a righta-ngle to said rails a b.

. The operation is as follows: When a carbody' is to be transferred totrucks of different gage, the car is run on the table A from the railsor step D, as seen in Fig. 1. Gross-bars M are then placed transverselyunder the carbody and rested on the beams E. The valves of the cylindersO are now opened, whereby the'weight of the trucks on the table A causesthe latter to descend, forcing the water from said cylinders in theaccumulator and raising the weight K, it"being noticed that as thevalves of the cylinders G are closed the carbody remains supported bythe bars M onthe beams E. The table A reaches thelowe'r rails or step,D, and the trucks are removed to the turn-table, whereby they may be runoff to the siding. The valves of the cylinders C are meanwhile closed toprevent the water from returning to said cylinders, and the weightconsequently from raising the empty table.

Trucks of the different gage are then run on thetable A, with theircenter plates placed directly under the king-bolts of the ear-body.

(See Fig. 3.) The valves of the cylinders G are now opened and theweight of the car-body depresses the beams E, forcing the water fromsaid cylinders into the accumulator and raising the weight K to agreater extent the carbody now resting on the trucks, as shown in Figs.4 and 6. The valves of the cylinders G are now closed to prevent thewater from reentering the said cylinders, and thebars M are withdrawn,so that the car may be run from the table A to the rails or step D,which connects with snitablesidings leading to the main track, it beingevident that the upper rails or step, 1), also connects with suitablesidings leading to the main track. The table A and -50 H H, which are incommunication with an i beams E are now empty and depressed to thelowest point. This-is an important feature, for the. descent of thetrucks and car-body has raised the weight K on the piston of theaccumulator, and thus created a power which is availed of for subsequentservice. The valves of all of the cylinders are now opened and theweight K is uncontrolled, and so descends, forcing the water from theaccumulator into the several cylinders, thereby raising the table andbeams until the table is again on alevel with the upper rails or step D,so that another car may be placed on the table, the other operationsbeing repeated, it being seen that each car that is transferredfurnisheshpower to return the table and beam to their normal position,ready for the next car.

The cylinders G may be advantageously placed in a frame above the car,as shown in Fig. 7 and their piston-rods project downwardly therefromand have connected with them the beams E. Depending from the beams arehooks M, which may be placed under the carbody to sustain thesa1ne,similar to the bars M. \Vhen the bars M are used, they may be heldsomewhat tightly on the beams E, when the car-body is lowered on thesubstitute trucks. To prevent this set-screws or eccentrics may bearranged on the beams and have the bars rest thereon,whereby byoperating the screws or eccentrics the bars may be relieved. Anothermethod of relieving the bars is by the employment of an auxiliarycylinder located aside of the accumulator, when by opening the valves ofthe pipes leading from the cylinders G to said auxiliary cylinder theweight of the beams E will force water into said auxiliary cylinder andraise the plungers thereof sufficient] y to relieve the bars, saidplungers being afterward depressed by the action of the weight K.

\Vhile I have described thecylinders ashydraulic, I do not limit myselfto-the use of wa' ter therein, as glycerine, oil, air, or other fluidmay be employed in lieu thereof.

In lieu of cross-bars M,Imay use arms which are pivoted, hinged, orotherwise attached to the beams E, or frames aside thereof,so as to be imoved in and out of position and remain connected with the beams orframes, as desired.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A step in atrack,vertically-movable supports for cars between the"same, and devices whereby said supports may be automatically operated,and the transfer of trucks of broad and narrow gages may be accomplishedby gravity, substantially as and' for the purpose set forth. 1

2. Atransfer apparatus consisting of steps, vertically-movable supportsfor cars between the same, and a weight connected with said supports,substantially described, whereby ears may descend from one step to theother and furnish power to restore the support-s to their normalposition.

3. Astep in a track,vertically-movable supports for cars between thesame, fluid-cylinders with pistons on which said supports are rested, anaccumulator, and a weight superimposed on the piston of the accumulator,substantially as and for the'purpose set forth.

ROBERT H. RAMSEY. Witnesses:

JOHN A. Wnmnnsnnm, A. P. GRANT.

